Handel: Theodora, HWV 68

Handel: Theodora, HWV 68

Michael Spyres, Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, John Chest

2022

Handel’s oratorio Theodora is an opera in all but name, and this riveting performance led by Russian conductor Maxim Emelyanychev confirms it as one of the composer’s greatest achievements. The American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato is the star name among the soloists, poised and sonorous in her Part I aria “As With Rosy Steps the Morn”. Soprano Lisette Oropesa and countertenor Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian also excel as the Christian martyrs Theodora and Didymus, rising movingly to the challenge of the opera’s heart-wrenching final scene. The wonderfully eloquent choral singing adds further cachet to a set which lovers of Handel’s music should on no account miss hearing.

Overture

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

2:58

Trio

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:45

Courante

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:36

Recitative. "Tis Diocletian’s Natal Day" (Valens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, John Chest

0:30

Air. "Go, My Faithful Soldier, Go" (Valens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:52

Chorus. "And Draw a Blessing Down" (The Heathens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:03

Recitative. "Vouchsafe, Dread Sir" (Didymus, Valens)

John Chest, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:02

Air. "Racks, Gibbets, Sword and Fire" (Valens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, John Chest

3:15

Chorus. "For Ever Thus Stands Fix’d the Doom" (The Heathens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:40

Recitative. "Most Cruel Edict" (Didymus, Septimius)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Michael Spyres, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:35

Air. "The Raptur’d Soul" (Didymus)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian

8:12

Recitative. "I Know Thy Virtues" (Septimius)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Michael Spyres, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:42

Air. "Descend, Kind Pity, Heav’nly Guest" (Septimius)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Spyres, Il Pomo d'Oro

8:11

Recitative. "Though Hard, My Friends" (Theodora)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:27

Air. "Fond, Flatt’ring World, Adieu" (Theodora)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

4:00

Recitative. "O Bright Example of All Goodness" (Irene)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Joyce DiDonato

0:38

Air. "Bane of Virtue" (Irene)

Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

5:51

Chorus. "Come, Mighty Father" (The Christians)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

2:29

Recitative. "Fly, Fly, My Brethren" (Messenger, Irene)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:08

Air. "As with Rosy Steps the Morn" (Irene)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Joyce DiDonato

7:18

Chorus. "All Pow’r in Heav’n Above" (The Christians)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

2:17

Recitative. "Mistaken Wretches!" (Septimius)

Michael Spyres, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:20

Air. "Dread the Fruits of Christian Folly" (Septimius)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Spyres, Il Pomo d'Oro

2:41

Recitative. "Deluded Mortal!" (Theodora, Septimius)

Michael Spyres, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa

1:02

Accompagnato. "Oh, Worse Than Death Indeed" (Theodora)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:23

Air. "Angels, Ever Bright and Fair" (Theodora)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro

3:39

Recitative. "Unhappy, Happy Crew!" (Didymus, Irene)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Joyce DiDonato

1:13

Air. "Kind Heav’n, If Virtue Be Thy Care" (Didymus)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Maxim Emelyanychev

5:21

Recitative. "O Love, How Great Thy Pow’r!" (Irene)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato

0:34

Chorus. "Go, Gen’rous, Pious Youth" (Chorus)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

4:41

Recitative. "Ye Men of Antioch" (Valens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, John Chest

0:33

Chorus. "Queen of Summer, Queen of Love" (The Heathens)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:42

Air. "Wide Spread His Name" (Valens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:11

Recitative. "Return, Septimius, to the Stubborn Maid" (Valens)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, John Chest

0:40

Chorus. "Venus, Laughing from the Skies" (The Heathens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:19

Symphony

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:54

Recitative. "O Thou Bright Sun" (Theodora)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:35

Air. "With Darkness Deep, as is My Woe" (Theodora)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa

3:07

Air

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:03

Recitative. "But Why Art Thou Disquieted, My Soul" (Theodora)

Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:30

Air. "Oh That I on Wings Could Rise" (Theodora)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa

3:23

Recitative. "Long Have I Known" (Didymus, Septimius)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Michael Spyres

1:20

Air. "Though the Honours" (Septimius)

Michael Spyres, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

3:12

Recitative. "Oh, Save Her Then" (Didymus, Septimius)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Michael Spyres

0:38

Air. "Deeds of Kindness to Display" (Didymus)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Maxim Emelyanychev

7:01

Recitative. "The Clouds Begin to Veil" (Irene)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:40

Air. "Defend Her, Heav’n!" (Irene)

Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

5:46

Recitative. "Or Lull’d With Grief" (Didymus)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian

0:38

Air. "Sweet Rose and Lily" (Didymus)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:17

Recitative. "Oh, Save Me, Heav’n" (Theodora, Didymus)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Lisette Oropesa

1:33

Air. "The Pilgrim’s Home" (Theodora)

Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

2:58

Accompagnato. "Forbid It, Heav’n!" (Didymus)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian

0:37

Recitative. "Or Say, What Right Have I to Take" (Didymus, Theodora)

Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian

1:58

Duet. "To Thee, Thou Glorious Son of Worth" (Theodora, Didymus)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian

4:26

Recitative. "’Tis Night" (Irene)

Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:47

Chorus. "He Saw the Lovely Youth" (The Heathens)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

3:42

Air. "Lord, to Thee Each Night and Day" (Irene)

Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

7:04

Recitative. "But See, the Good, the Virtuous Didymus" (Irene, Theodora)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Joyce DiDonato

0:38

Air. "When Sunk in Anguish and Despair" (Theodora)

Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

3:36

Theodora and Chorus. "Blest Be the Hand, and Blest the Pow’r" (Theodora, Chorus)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa

3:39

Recitative. "Undaunted in the Court" (Messenger, Irene)

Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:50

Accompagnato. "O My Irene" (Theodora)

Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:29

Recitative. "Stay Me Not, Dear Friend" (Theodora)

Il Pomo d'Oro, Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev

0:14

Duet. "Whither, Princess, Do You Fly" (Irene, Theodora)

Lisette Oropesa, Joyce DiDonato, Il Pomo d'Oro, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:12

Recitative. "She’s Gone" (Irene)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro, Joyce DiDonato

0:38

Air. "New Scenes of Joy Come Crowding on" (Irene)

Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

4:17

Recitative. "Is It a Christian Virtue" (Valens, Didymus, Theodora, Septimius)

Maxim Emelyanychev, John Chest, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Michael Spyres

1:12

Recitative. "Be That My Doom" (Theodora, Septimius)

Michael Spyres, Maxim Emelyanychev, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:02

Air. "From Virtue Springs Each Gen’rous Deed" (Septimius)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Spyres, Il Pomo d'Oro

5:45

Air. "Cease, Ye Slaves, Your Fruitless Pray’r" (Valens)

Maxim Emelyanychev, John Chest, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:02

Recitative. "’Tis Kind, My Friends" (Didymus, Theodora)

Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Maxim Emelyanychev

1:01

Chorus. "How Strange Their Ends, Yet How Glorious" (The Heathens)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

2:50

Recitative. "On Me Your Frowns" (Didymus, Theodora, Valens)

Maxim Emelyanychev, John Chest, Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian

0:37

Air. "Ye Ministers of Justice" (Valens)

John Chest, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

1:26

Recitative. "And Must Such Beauty Suffer?" (Didymus, Theodora, Septimius)

Lisette Oropesa, Maxim Emelyanychev, Michael Spyres, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian

0:54

Air and Duet. "Streams of Pleasure Ever Flowing" (Didymus, Theodora)

Lisette Oropesa, Il Pomo d'Oro, Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian, Maxim Emelyanychev

5:37

Recitative. "Ere This, Their Doom is Past" (Irene)

Joyce DiDonato, Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

0:30

Chorus. "O Love Divine" (The Christians)

Maxim Emelyanychev, Il Pomo d'Oro

2:42

George Frideric Handel

Composer
Michael Spyres

Tenor
Joyce DiDonato

Mezzo-Soprano
Il Pomo d'Oro

Orchestra, Choir
Lisette Oropesa

Soprano